Jobless, homeless, and flat broke, Casey Farrell is rendered defenseless to boot when she becomes the star witness in the investigation of the Dumpster Killer and the murderer targets her for murder.

When the bodies of five illegal aliens are found in the desert, Casey Farrel, a member of the Governor of Arizona's task force on crime, is assigned to investigate the case. She finds that the trail leads back to two of the richest and most powerful families in Arizona.

A bull-rider is killed, but it is murder, not an accident; and Casey, intrigued by the fact that the rider has the same last name as her own, is reluctantly drawn into the investigation.

Casey Farrel, part of the Governor's Task Force on Crime, is at a nightclub when a touring country and western singer is shot before 200 witnesses. Against her wishes, she is assigned to the case and for the first time has to partner Sergeant Josh Whitney, her friend and lover.

Investigator Casey Farrel goes undercover to solve a series of murders neara resort town in northern Arizona. Ritual aspects of the crimes suggest cultlinks. Casey poses as a movie scout to explore the area and meet townresidents despite concerns of her detective boyfriend about the operation'sdangers. When she infiltrates the cult, she learns that for most members,the group promises self-enlightenment and recreational sex. However, themysterious, masked leader uses the cult as a cover for more deadly andlucrative purposes. To solve the case Casey must also travel to Los Angeles,overcoming unhappy memories of her past. Casey's conflict with her boss, herromance with a detective are standard mystery fare and Casey's ties torelatives of her Hopi mother seem perfunctory. The Southwest setting isevoked more fully by writers such as Tony Hillerman and Judith Van Gieson.An undemanding, quick read for mystery buffs who like straightforward,fast-moving plots and for those who enjoyed earlier books about Farrell.